Wherever You Will Go
by auroraskyes
Summary: AU. Sydney and Vaughn were destined to meet, even without SD6 and the CIA...
1. Let Go

**Wherever You Will Go**

**Disclaimer:** Alias does not belong to me. Neither does any song lyrics/pop culture references I use.  
**Notes:** Thanks for all the feedback!

**-**

**Chapter One: Let Go**

_So lately been wondering  
Who will be there to take my place  
When I'm gone, you'll need love  
To light the shadows on your face_

A year. That's how long it had been since the accident. Since Danny died. A year as of today. It seemed forever. And yet, it seemed like just yesterday she had received the news.

_"Ms. Bristow?" A man wearing a business suit in his late thirties stood at her door, a neutral expression on his face. "May I come in?"_

_"Uh, yeah, sure.__ Who are you?" As she led the man into her living room, __Sydney__ wondered what was going on. Who was this man?_

_"I'm Sergeant Bickle of the LAPD," He flashed his badge. "I, uh, am aware that you knew a Daniel Hetch?" It sounded more like a question than a statement to __Sydney__. His impassive face gave away nothing. _

_"Yes. Danny is my fiancé… knew?" Danny, oh gosh, her mind reeled. What happened to Danny?_

_"Excuse me, Ms. Bristow? What was that?" He sounded confused, yet his face didn't change._

_"You said… knew, " __Sydney__ choked out. O gosh, Danny. She felt her knees grow weak as she dropped into a chair._

_"Ms. Bristow, I really hate to be the one to tell you this, but, uh, Daniel was involved in a car accident this morning." The man's face still gave away nothing. She was finding this really frustrating._

_"But… he's alright, isn't he? I mean he has to be. Of course he is," __Sydney__ said, trying to convince herself more than she was asking the officer._

_"Ms. Bristow. He passed away right after he was thrown from the car. He's dead." Thud. __Sydney__'s heart dropped right into her stomach and kept on going. Tears filled her eyes._

_"He's… gone?" She sobbed out. How? Danny, her Danny, was gone. _

Sydney stared that the ceiling as she lay back on the couch. A year ago, that annoying officer had come here and told her everything. She didn't want to know. Didn't want to know that Danny was killed by a drunk driver. That there had been 3 cars involved but the other innocent man had gotten out with just some scratches. Why couldn't it have been Danny? She didn't care about a stranger. She cared about her fiancé. She had literally cried for a week. Francie and Will did everything they could think of to make her feel better. Eventually, she cleaned herself up for the funeral, where she met him. The other guy. The one who survived. At first, she had been mad. Who was he to come to her fiancé's funeral? He lived in that car accident and Danny died. Period. Soon enough, her anger dissolved when she learned exactly why he was there. She ended up crying about Danny to him later on. They'd kept in touch over the past year. A few phone calls here and there. She wasn't exactly sure what their relationship would be called. Were they acquaintances? Or friends? It didn't matter, because Sydney didn't want to think about it. A year and she was still grieving about Danny. It probably didn't seem that long to other people. To her, a year had been more than she could take. What would she have done without her friends? Tears filled her eyes. Danny… Why did she always cry when she thought of him? There was nothing she could do to change what happened. And Danny would be in her heart always. Why was she still crying? Francie would be back soon. Sydney would probably spill her guts to her best friend again. And Francie would comfort her and put aside everything else in the world. She couldn't let Francie do that again. Sydney needed to talk to someone, though. Someone neutral. But who? She thought of one person. But she quickly pushed that thought away. How could she impose on someone she hardly knew? Again? Francie had told her a million times to call him, but Sydney had refused to do it. Sydney knew she was just scared. Scared of getting too close. Sacred of her own feelings. And scared of losing him like she lost Danny. Scared of love. Even though she knew all this, she managed to convince herself that she didn't keep in touch that closely because she didn't want to impose. He had a life also. He deserved to continue it without having her go crying to him about Danny all the time. But would it really hurt that much to call him this once? She just wanted to talk to him. Didn't he say she could do that?

_"Sydney Bristow?" A man in a formal suit approached her._

_"Yeah?__ Who are you?" __Sydney__ almost winced at how rude it sounded, but this was Danny's funeral. She could be as rude as she wanted._

_"Michael Vaughn. I was, ah, also in the accident involving Daniel," He looked apologetic and sad for bringing it up in front of her. He held out his hand for her to shake it._

_"Really?__ What are you doing here?" __Sydney__ just stared at his hand. Why the hell would this man come to Danny's funeral? He didn't even know Danny. He would never get to know Danny. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears threatened to spill over._

_"I'm really really sorry about your loss. Danny seemed like a great man," He pulled his hand back and stuffed it in his pocket. Danny had seemed like a great man. He seemed to love __Sydney__ a lot. Michael could see the tears in her eyes. "Tissue?" He pulled out a Kleenex from his pocket._

_"Thank you. What do you mean, Danny seemed like a great man? He WAS a great man. You never even knew him." __Sydney__ dabbed her eyes with the tissue. It was becoming hard to stay mad at this guy. He gave her a tissue and really seemed sorry about Danny. She could see it in his green eyes._

_"Uh, actually, I was with him when he, uh, passed away," Michael winced at the statement. __Sydney__ didn't seem too happy to see him. It was quite understandable, seeing as she had jus lost the love of her life, "He loved you very much. I think he wanted me to tell you that. Which is kind of why I am here. That and to pay my respects. Danny was a great man."_

_"You what?__ You were with him? Why didn't I know this before?" __Sydney__ was shocked at this revelation. This changed everything._

_"The, uh, officer didn't tell you?" He was confused. The officer couldn't leave out something that big, could he?_

_"Sergeant Bickle, what kind of name is Bickle anyways? Uh, he never mentioned it. He only told me about how the cars collided and that Danny died a few seconds after he was thrown from the car. What did Danny tell you?" She looked about as confused as he did. This was quite a shock, after all._

_"Well actually I think it was about a minute. The back of my car got slammed into, so I jumped out immediately and noticed Danny lying on the floor. I tried to keep him awake, and I asked him a few questions. He just told me, 'My name is Daniel Hetch. Please, sir, please tell my family I love them and my friends too. Also, sir, please tell my fiancé, __Sydney__, I love her very much. She's the most beautiful person in the world to me, and let her know I will always be with her. Always. I will always love her and care for her. Tell her not to miss me too much, she needs love and she needs someone else in her life after me. I want her to be happy. Tell her, will you? I love her.' I told him that if he stayed awake long enough for the ambulance, he could tell you everything himself. I couldn't keep him awake. He believed that by telling me that message, he could let go. I'm really sorry, __Sydney__. Maybe I should've tried harder to keep him awake." Michael looked so sad, his eyes full of sympathy for her._

_"He said all that? He was hanging on for life and he wanted me to be happy? How did I deserve someone so selfless that he only cared about me? I loved Danny so much. And it hurt so much not to be able to say goodbye. I wanted him to know how much I loved him." Tears streamed down her cheeks._

_Sydney__, I know he meant what he said. He would want you to be happy not sad. And he'll always be with you, in your heart and in your mind. He knows you love him, Sydney. And if you ever need to talk to someone, you can talk to me, I guess. You probably won't because you have lots of friends already." He looked at the crying woman in front of him and pulled her into a little hug. They stayed in the hug for a moment, but that was all it took for a bond to form._

Sydney sighed. Danny was probably right. She couldn't grieve forever. And she could talk to Michael. She picked up the phone and dialed Michael's number.

"Hello?" He answered on the second ring.

"Mike?" Sydney asked tentatively, in a small voice. When had she become so scared of a… friend?

"Sydney? Hi. Is everything okay?" His voice expressed a lot of concern.

"Yeah. It's been a year, you know," She didn't have to say what, because she knew he would understand. He was like that. An understanding, caring, nice, platonic friend. Period.

"I know," He said softly. "How are things going?" He hoped she wasn't as sad as she used to be. It made him a little worried. He cared about her. She probably didn't feel the same way, because he was the one who always called her. It didn't matter. She was a grieving about her dead fiancé anyways and she probably didn't have time to entertain a new friend. If that's what they were. Friends, that is.

"I just, you know, wanted to talk. Is that ok? Are you busy? We can always talk tomorrow. In person. You know?" Since when did she start talking in choppy, strange sentences? Why was she so nervous? This was Michael, her friend. If that's what they were.

"Oh no, I'm not busy at all. Do you want to come over for dinner? And talk?" What was he doing? He wasn't supposed to be asking her to dinner. It sounded like a date. They weren't dating. Never were. Just friends.

"Yeah, that'd be good. 7 ok for you?" Dinner? Sounded so un-platonic-like. She didn't care. She just wanted to talk to him.

"Great. Bye Sydney, see you later." Dinner. He didn't have any food prepared. Might as well start now. 3 hours to prepare dinner, clean up his house, and take Donovan out for a walk so he wouldn't get antsy later. Should be enough time.

"Bye." Sydney hung up the phone and put it back into the cradle. She noticed she was still wearing her engagement ring. From Danny. A year and she still had her ring on. Danny was gone in person, but he remained in her heart. He always would. She took off her engagement ring and put it on the table. It was time to let go of the past.

_I know now just quite how  
My life and love might still go on  
In your heart, in your mind  
I'll stay with you for all of time_


	2. Lost

**Chapter Two: Lost **

Michael glanced around the living room. It was neat and clean. Not too clean though. He didn't want Sydney to think he was a neat freak. His bedroom was neat and clean also. So was the bathroom. And the rest of the house. Ok so he had gone slightly out of his way to clean it. But it was usually pretty neat. It was only six thirty. Half an hour more. He realized he was pacing around the living room and wondered why he was so nervous. It was just Sydney. Just Sydney. A friend. In truth, he had been really surprised when she called. He had thought something was wrong, since she never called. It wasn't as if they were great friends. It was kind of awkward between them actually. He couldn't figure out exactly why, though. When he was at Danny's funeral, he had figured out immediately which one was Sydney. She was beautiful. Even when she was crying. He hadn't been sure about why exactly he was at the funeral. Everyone there seemed to know Danny so well personally. Michael hadn't even known Danny that long. But Danny had asked him to tell Sydney his message and Michael couldn't deny a deceased man a favor. Besides, it didn't seem fair to Sydney either. She deserved to know how much Danny had loved her. It had been pretty hard to tell her, since it seemed as if she wanted to be left alone. Of course she wouldn't want to meet the man that had survived the same accident Danny had not. And when she started crying so hard, Michael decided to give her a small hug. In all honesty, he didn't even expect her to remember him a year after the accident. He thought he would just give her the message and they'd both move on. But yet here they were still. Friends. He had even met Francie and Will once. Michael looked at the clock again. Six forty five. Time to set the table. Should he put candles? No, this was not a date. It was just dinner. Besides, Sydney was probably still sad about Danny. It was understandable, after all. Sighing, he sat down on the couch and waited for Sydney.

-

It was almost seven o clock. It seemed really rude to be late for dinner with a guy who invited her just because she called him and wanted to talk. Sydney grabbed her keys and purse and ran out the door quickly. She got in her car and flipped through her wallet for Michael's address. He had given it to her along with his phone number when they had first met at the funeral. It seemed like such a long time ago that they met, yet it seemed like just yesterday she heard about Danny. She didn't expect to still be friends after a year. She thought that he'd forget all about her after the funeral, despite the fact that he told her she could call to talk anytime. Didn't he have a girlfriend? Sydney vaguely remembered him talking about meeting his girlfriend a few months ago. Well, that meant that they could only be friends right? Somehow that thought relieved and disappointed her at the same time. Michael was such a sweet guy. She could talk to him and he would just listen, like he understood. He was good looking too. Sydney shook her head and pushed the thoughts away as soon as they came. Remember Danny? Her brain yelled. But Danny wanted her to be happy also. And it had been a year. This was too confusing. It didn't matter anyways because he had a girlfriend. At least, she thought so. She pulled up to his garage and slowly walked out of the car and toward the front door. Up the stairs. No turning around now. Pressing the doorbell. Deep breath. The door swung open.

"Sydney! Hi! Come in," He winced. He sounded like a hyper six year old. He smiled and led her in the house.

"Hi Mike. Thanks for inviting me over," Her voice sounded calm and reasonable, but her brain was still arguing with her heart about Michael. His house smelled like Italian food. Must be the dinner. His house was pretty neat. And a dog sat in the hall, looking at her.

"No problem. Anytime you want to talk, I'm here. Yea. Uh, this is Donovan. I took him for a walk earlier so he wouldn't be so antsy. It always happens with guests. Do you want a tour or do you want to eat first or what?" Stop talking. He hoped the whole night wasn't going to be like this. He realized that he didn't know that much about her. Wasn't she a teacher? He had to remember to ask her if they ever had a serious and normal conversation.

"A tour would be good. Then we can eat." She reminded herself to smile and a small smile actually appeared. She was being so rude. She frowned again. Michael invited her over for dinner. Although, now that she was actually in his house, it seemed really awkward. She should be a little nicer at least. "Hi, Donovan. How are you?" Was she talking to his dog? "I'm sorry, I'm such a dork. Talking to your dog."

He just laughed. "No problem. I think he likes you. Besides, I talk to him all the time." Donovan had just walked up to Sydney and starting sniffing her feet.

"You do? No wonder he likes me. He sees and hears you way too much!" Sydney laughed at her joke and hoped that Michael wouldn't be offended.

Michael feigned a shocked and mad expression. "Oh really? You think you're so cool that you can just waltz in here and my faithful good dog will like you better? I don't think so." He crossed his arms and pretended to turn away, but Sydney could see the laughter dancing in his green eyes.

"I didn't waltz in, I walked. Let's ask him. Donovan, who do you like better? Me or that guy standing over there?" She sounded so serious that Michael couldn't keep it in anymore. He started laughing and that caused Sydney to also. While they were both laughing, Donovan just stared at the two of them.

When they managed to stop laughing, Michael gave her a tour of the house while muttering, "I am not 'that guy standing over there'. I am Donovan's owner. I feed him." The corners of Sydney's mouth tugged into a smile again. Their little joke had relieved all the tension. Well. Most of the tension between them. There was still a little. But it didn't matter, she felt normal again. She felt. Almost. Happy. A year of sadness and heartache. She deserved this. This happiness. With Michael. It felt a little strange. But she didn't dwell on it. Then she realized that she didn't know that much about him. He'd let her cry to him so much, yet she had never bothered to ask him many questions about himself. She could think of a million things she wanted to know about him. This dinner was going to be fun actually.

Michael noticed Sydney staring off into space a little. She looked like she was listening, but her mind was probably far away. A faint smile appeared on her face. She was so beautiful. And she seemed so happy and relaxed right now. He was glad. She didn't deserve any of the pain she had been feeling and a few times he wished he could take her pain away. That's what friends were for. Friends. That was the most he allowed himself to think about their relationship. He didn't even want to touch the subject of, maybe, someday, in a long time, something… more. "What are you thinking about?"

Sydney snapped out of her little daze as Michael's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Hmm? Oh nothing really. It just that… well it's a little dumb. And stuff like that. Ok. Gonna shut up now…" she trailed off.

Michael led her to the dining room. "You looked really happy and I don't know, content, when you were thinking. I was just curious as to what it was about." He smiled at her and pulled out a chair for her. "Hopefully you like Italian food."

"I love Italian food. Smells good," she smiled, knowing that she was inching away from his question. It seemed kind of weird to tell him that she was thinking about him. "Did you make the sauce yourself?"

"Ah, I see we are subtly trying to change the subject. It's ok if you don't want to tell me, Syd. And yes I made the sauce myself." His eyes sparkled. "It's a secret recipe," he added in a mock whisper. He wondered what Sydney had really been thinking about. Danny maybe? But there hadn't been any sign of sorrow in her eyes. He shook his head. If Sydney didn't want to tell, that was her business.

"I'll tell you. Just not right now. I'm enjoying the food." How was she going to tell him that she had been thinking of him? Maybe he would forget. It didn't seem very likely.

As soon as they both finished their food and the dishes were put in the dishwasher, Michael led her into the dining room and they settled down on the couch. "So what were you thinking about? I want to know what memory made you so content." He grinned at her questionably.

"It's just that… I realized that I don't know that much… about you… even though… youletmecryonyourshoulder so much." She wasn't sure if he would even be able to understand what she was saying. Sydney stared at the floor as her cheeks turned a little pink.

"Oh." For once, Michael was at a loss for words. She had been thinking about him? "Well, I don't know that much about you either. We could ask each other some questions, I guess. Or do you not really want to know that much about me. Cuz that would be okay also." He was sort of rambling now.

"I like asking questions. It's fun. Gosh, I sound like a dork. But I don't know, I'm not in the mood right now. Can we save the question-a-thon for later? You can come to my place tomorrow for dinner, since I'm here tonight." That didn't come out the way she intended. It sounded like she really didn't want to know anything about him.

"It's alright, I understand. Today must have been kind of hard on you. Want to watch a movie instead? To relax?"

"Thanks. Do you have anything funny? Funny would be good."

"Shrek? Do you like that movie?"

"Shrek… oh…" Tears filled Sydney's eyes.

"Syd? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Michael was worried. She had been so happy. Did he do something?

"It was Danny's favorite movie…" She started crying. Dammit, why was she crying? She was supposed to be having fun. She was supposed to let go of the past and embrace the future. It was so cliché but so true. Danny would always be with her, she knew that but why was she wailing now? She probably looked like an idiot.

Michael immediately sat down next to her and pulled her in a hug. "Shh. It's okay, Syd. It's okay. Pain is a hard thing to deal with. I wish I could take it away for you. I know you still love Danny very much." He soothed her gently and just held her in his arms.

Sydney held on to him as hard as she could, in fear that he would go away like Danny had. She didn't want to lose another person. She didn't want to lose Michael.

After a few minutes, Sydney's crying stopped. She pulled back from Michael's embrace and wiped her eyes. "Thank you… so much. I still want to watch the movie, though. I love it too." Danny was gone, lost forever. But she had someone. Danny was right. She was moving on.

"Ok." Michael popped the disc into the DVD player and pushed play. He sat back down next to Sydney and let her lean onto him. He put his arm around her shoulder and they focused their attention on the movie.


	3. Gone

**Chapter Three: Gone**

_When you came to me, you said love could not erase,  
The ever-present mem'ry of another face.  
I tried to make you love me; how could I be so blind?  
To think I'd be the one to change your mind._

Sunlight streamed in from the windows. Even though the curtains were shut, the room was bathed in yellow bright light, not uncommon for a Los Angeles morning. The sun also gave off a feeling of warmth, which Sydney felt, even in her sleep. "Mmmm," she murmured as she opened her eyes slowly and yawned. Her eyes shot wide open when she realized she was in unfamiliar surroundings and not in her own room. That must have been why the bed felt so comfy and different. She opened her mouth to yell, when she sat up quickly and saw Michael dozing in a huge armchair curled up in a blanket. He looked so adorable and so much like a little boy. She sighed a big sigh of relief, for a moment there, she thought she had been kidnapped. She scratched her head and wondered why she was still in his house. They had been watching a movie… Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted as Michael stirred in his chair and mumbled something like, "Stop jumping, Donovan." Sydney laughed out loud at this and it caused him to open his eyes and wake up.

"Hey, Syd. Good morning." He sat up and stretched out. "What's so funny?"

"You just said, 'Stop jumping, Donovan' in your sleep." Sydney couldn't stop smiling. He looked so perfect despite the fact that he had just woken up. Just like… Danny. Sydney frowned. Why was she still thinking about Danny? She thought she was moving on. Apparently not. She was being unfair to Michael. He treated her so nicely and let her cry, let everything go her way. And she treated him like. Like a crying post. She didn't give him the respect he deserved. Maybe she better tell him. But she didn't want to let him go either. Even though she couldn't give him what he needed. She just wanted the comfort he gave her. Did that mean she didn't really like him? What was going on? He probably slept in that chair all night because of her, too. "Mike, did you sleep in that chair all night?"

"Hmm? Yeah. I was afraid you'd wake up and start panicking because the room was unfamiliar." He noticed Sydney's suddenly stricken expression when he answered her question. "What's wrong?" She had just been smiling a second ago. Last night, he had watched her sleep and she looked so peaceful.

"Nothing… why didn't you just wake me up last night?" Dammit, why did he always have to be so selfless? She needed a reason to not like him. But there was nothing that bad about him. She decided that she would just tell him, since now he was looking at her like he didn't believe her. "Michael–"

"Oh it was cause – you go first." They had started talking at the same time.

"Oh, no, it was nothing. What were you saying?" Sydney sighed. She should've just come out and said it. But she couldn't. She wouldn't. How selfish was that? Just because she lost Danny, she was now clinging to Michael. She didn't even know him that well. Gosh, she was surprised he hadn't told her to back off yet. But he wasn't like that. And she was absolutely positive that if they had met in any other circumstances, they would probably be dating. As soon as she thought that, she mentally kicked herself. What if Michael had a girlfriend already? Dammit, when had her life become so complicated?

"I tried to wake you up. I did actually. After the movie, I shook you awake and went to get some tea. When I got back you had fallen asleep and absolutely didn't want to get up. And you looked so tired, so I just carried you to the guest room and covered you with a blanket. Then, I fell asleep in the chair." Michael studied Sydney's expression carefully. She didn't look like she was listening very careful. What was that woman thinking? She was always thinking about something. And he could read her almost like a book. Her thoughts right now were probably somewhat conflicting. Sydney had a look on her face, like she wanted to say something, but didn't know how. Or almost, she needed to say something, but didn't want to. The phone rang and jolted both of them back to earth.

"Sorry. Hello?" Michael's face broke into a smile as he heard who it was. "Hey!" He laughed softly and said, "Yeah, definitely. I'll be there. Miss you. Love you, too… Ok bye."

Sydney's face almost fell when she heard his conversation. No doubt he had a girlfriend. Still, she tried to look not to crestfallen. Surprisingly, she felt both a little jealous and a little relieved. Apparently the jealously got the better of her. "Was that your girlfriend?" She winced at the sharpness in her voice. She probably had jealously written all over he face.

"Girlfriend?" He looked confused. She thought he had a girlfriend? This whole time? "What girlfriend?"

"Oh, I thought, you had… a girlfriend… uh. Never mind. I thought. Before. No. Nothing. Never mind." Wow. Now she sounded amazingly stupid.

"Oh, gosh, Sydney. I don't have a girlfriend. We broke up. I think I know who you're thinking about. No, we broke up." His mind reeled. Sydney thought he had a girlfriend. That meant she thought of him as just a friend. Well they were just friends. Besides he didn't know that much about her anyway. Besides, Sydney always acted a little funny around him. Almost like… she was holding back. No. Why would she do that?

"Oh. Who was on the phone then?" Sydney felt a little dumb for jumping to conclusions now. She should've known that he didn't have a girlfriend. The way he acted towards her clearly showed that he really –nodontgothere- liked her. At least Sydney was pretty sure about it. She thought she was moving on. She wanted to like him. She thought she could. But sometimes she just felt like maybe she was just kidding herself. Kidding him. She thought she liked him. But then she would always start comparing him to Danny. They were completely different people. Sydney felt so confused. She was so mixed up.

"My niece. You thought it was my girlfriend?" He looked at her. She looked a little embarrassed. But she still didn't smile. That smile. It lit her whole face up. He hadn't seen it very much, but last night, she had smiled a lot. It made her look so natural.

"Hmm. Yeah. Sorry." She shook her head. Somehow this conversation wasn't going the way she imagined. When she had woken up, she imagined the two of them having a nice conversation, in which, maybe, she'd get to tell him how she felt. Now, she wasn't even sure how she felt.

"Don't worry about it." Michael waved it off with one hand. "I have to get to work at noon, and it's about 10 right now. You want a quick breakfast?" He asked her reluctantly, as if he was sure she'd almost blurt out the answer "no" before he finished.

"Sure… where do you work? I never bothered to ask." Sydney followed him to the kitchen.

"Hmm, nowhere exciting. Actually, it's really boring… Vice-president of a bank. Nothing compared to your job huh?" Michael tried to lighten the mood and was glad to see Sydney smile, a small smile.

"I guess not," She joked. This was the conversation she had imagined with him. "I'm an English Lit teacher. It's a lot of fun actually. But I'm sure running a bank is also." She smiled a full smile as the two of them continued their conversation throughout breakfast.

"So… are we still up for dinner tonight? If you don't want to cook, we could… you know, go out?" He looked very hopeful. Sydney suddenly got a sick feeling in her stomach. She felt like she was leading him on. Her feelings for him were very uncertain and he deserved to know what was going on in her head.

"Michael… uh… I need to tell you something. Look, you are a fantastic person. I am so glad and so grateful that you have been here for me through this hard time. But, it's just that. I thought I liked you a lot. I really did. But now I realize that even though I thought I could let go of Danny, I'm still really uncertain about my feelings. I'm really sorry. You deserve a lot better. I think I'm going to go now. Bye, Michael." She grabbed her stuff and ran, but not before seeing the hurt that flashed in his eyes. She felt absolutely horrible, but she knew she was right. He didn't deserve the way she had been treating him.

"You can always call me, Sydney!" Damn, he sounded so desperate. How did this happen? When he first met Sydney, he'd sworn he wouldn't fall for her. Apparently, it hadn't gone that well. He had been almost sure she felt the same way. Where did he go wrong?

_When you came to me, I said love will find a way,  
For ev'ry heart that leaves, another heart will stay  
I guess you couldn't see past the shadows in the night.  
It seems the time for us just wasn't right._

-

Sydney opened the door to her house slowly, hoping to avoid Francie. She had heard what Michael shouted when she ran out the door and it made her feel even worse. She didn't deserve any of the kindness he gave her. Apparently, her hopes weren't about to be answered. Francie was in the living room waiting for her with Will.

"So, Syd. Care to tell us where you have been all night?" Francie jokingly asked as Will elbowed for her to be quiet. He had seen Sydney's sad expression. "Oh Sydney, I was just kidding, hon, are you okay?" Francie's voice contained a lot of concern.

"No." Sydney's voice was quiet and small. "I was at Michael's. Nothing happened. I fell asleep during a movie. And… I totally ruined any chance I had with him…" She couldn't cry. It wasn't right. She had messed up and because she had told him off, she wasn't allowed to cry. The story spilled out as she sat down on the couch. Francie hugged her immediately as Will came over and patted her on the shoulder.

-

**2 Weeks Later **

Sydney stepped out of her car slowly, walking up Michael's driveway. After two weeks of agonizing, she realized he deserved a full explanation before they could move on. She pressed the doorbell and heard the ring from within the house. The door swung open slowly and Sydney saw a little girl gripping the doorknob.

"Hi, lady. Who are you?" She looked about 6 years old and her hair was in pigtails. Her smile was absolutely adorable.

"Uh, uh… I'm a friend of Michael's. Is he home?" Sydney was thrown off by the little girl. She wasn't at the wrong house. Did he move? No way, it was too soon.

"Oh, Uncle Mike —" the little girl was interrupted by a woman's voice. "Olivia? Sweetie, who's at the door?" A woman who looked remarkably like Michael appeared next to little Olivia. "Hi, and you are?"

"Oh, I'm a friend -notanymorenotsinceyouruineditall- of Michael's. Are you his, uh, sister?" Sydney was getting confused. This was Michael's house, so why was his sister's family there?

"Yes, I'm his sister. Bridgette. Nice to meet you…"

"Sydney."

"Sydney. Nice to meet you. Well, Michael didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Sydney was suddenly getting a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"He went back to France. Indefinitely. Our mother suddenly fell ill, so the bank transferred him to the branch in France. He decided to move almost as if it were no choice at all. Of course, I didn't know he had a friend like you. I would think it would have mad his decision harder. Are you sure he didn't tell you?"

"He… didn't tell me. He's not coming back? Ever?" Sydney wanted to cry now. He was gone. And she was so, so stupid.

"I'm not really sure if he is or not. He let us stay here for now but he hasn't taken all his stuff. I'll tell him you stopped by, Sydney. Are you okay?" Bridgette noticed that Sydney looked very pale and surprised. "You guys weren't… ah… dating, were you?"

"What? Oh no no, nothing like that. I'm sorry to bother you, Bridgette."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Bye, Sydney." Bridgette was still curious but it wasn't nice to pry. She could always ask Michael what the deal was anyway.

Sydney climbed in her car and drove home. As soon as she got home, she ran to her bedroom and began to cry into her pillow.

_And if I'm gone before you stir,  
Well, you can find me in your heart.  
Who can say, if it's right or wrong?  
I've waited for you too long.  
And if I can't hold on, I'm gone._


	4. Return

**Chapter Four: Return**

**2 Years Later **

It had been 2 years since she had learned that Michael had gone to France and she had long since decided to move on. Except, she couldn't move on. She knew it was dumb, since she had been the one to squash anything that might have happened between them. If it weren't for her, Michael wouldn't have moved to France. He probably still have gone to France since his mother was ill, but maybe… maybe if she hadn't been so stupid… if she hadn't run out on him after spending that night at his house… maybe he would've taken her to France with him. For about 2 weeks after she learned he was gone, she spent most of her time at home, eating ice cream and taking long showers to wash away her tears and pain. After that, it finally sank in that he was gone. She thought about the irony of it all. When he'd asked her out on a real dinner date, she'd turned him down thinking that she didn't have the feelings for him. And now two years later, she was still thinking about him. Her feelings had always been there. She had just chosen to ignore them at the worst possible time.

Sydney's brain couldn't have been farther away as she searched her closet for wrapping paper. Where was it? She needed to wrap the picture frames and she needed to do it fast, before she was late for dinner at Bridgette's house. She absentminded glanced at the clock. She had an hour left to find the stupid wrapping paper and get ready. She gave a frustrated sigh and stuck the frames in a fancy bag with some tissue paper. She didn't have time to go scavenger hunt for some wrapping paper. She dressed in a black skirt and a sleeveless black top and began applying her makeup. Bridgette had insisted that it was casual and that Sydney need not to bring a gift, but Sydney knew better. It would be a feast. As for the gift, Bridgette's new house would be huge, and nobody could have enough picture frames. Bridgette's family was perfect and Sydney loved being friends with them. It always cheered her up and gave her a warm feeling no matter what. She still remembered how exactly she had become friends with Michael's sister and her family.

_Sydney walked slowly through the park, trying to sort out her thoughts.__ It had been about a month since she had gone to Michael's house only to find that he was gone, it was a little disappointing that he hadn't thought of her at all when he left. But then again, she had run out of his house. He had every reason to be mad. Her thoughts disappeared as she realized someone was calling her name. She looked up and noticed, Michael's sister, Bridgette, and her daughter, Olivia waving at her. She walked over. "Hi."_

_"Hi, __Sydney__ right?" Bridgette hoped that she hadn't gotten the name wrong._

_"Yeah.__ Bridgette and Olivia. Hi!" __Sydney__ smiled and waved at Olivia who was looking at her with her eyes wide open._

_"Hi Miss Sydney.__ Are you a friend of Uncle Michael?" Olivia said his name slowly as if she was afraid that __Sydney__ wouldn't understand._

_Sydney laughed and told Bridgette, "Uncle makes him sound old. Olivia is so adorable."_

_"Yea, well, I keep telling him that one of these days he should meet a nice girl and settle down. I always tease him about turning old. So what are you doing this afternoon? Olivia's friends are coming over and I could use a hand and some company. I could pay you for helping me babysit, if you want." Bridgette smiled at her hopefully as Olivia added, "Please Miss Sydney, I have lots of friends."_

_Sydney__ laughed. "You don't have to pay me, I love kids. I'm a teacher and I don't have anything to do anyway. Are you still staying at Michael's house?" Saying his name gave her a slight pang in her stomach. She wished that she could take everything rude she had said to him back._

_"Yeah we are, our new house is still being built and we sold our old house, so Mike was generous enough to let us live in his house for the time he's in France. How long did you know each other?" Bridgette asked as they walked in the direction of Michael's house. Bridgette was oblivious to the fact that something more was going on between Sydney and Michael. She had thought that maybe they had been dating, but Michael wouldn't just leave his girlfriend without any kind of notice, even if they had been through a fight of some sort._

_"Oh, just little more than a year," __Sydney__ answered vaguely as she watched Olivia skip ahead of the two adults. "How's your mom?" __Sydney__ didn't want to talk about Michael._

_"She's okay. Just a little pneumonia, but she's healthy for her age. Michael's okay in __France__, too. Although, when I talked to him he sounded a little preoccupied. I mentioned that you stopped by, but he didn't really say anything." Bridgette stopped in front of Michael's house and pulled her keys out._

_"Oh. That's good." __Sydney__ couldn't really think of anything to say. She followed Olivia and Bridgette into the house. Olivia insisted on giving a tour even though __Sydney__ said that she had been there before._

_"This is MY room. It used to be Uncle Mike's but he let me have it." Olivia's room was relatively neat with some toys on the floor. There were colorful drawings hung on the walls. __Sydney__ guessed Olivia had drawn them; they were very creative. "This is Mommy and Daddy's room. It's boring." Sydney recognized the room as Michael's old guest room, the one that she had stayed in. "This is a bathroom and that's another one. This is the balcony. I can't go there unless Mommy or Daddy is there cause they think I will fall over the side." __Sydney__ laughed as Bridgette nodded her head and Olivia pouted. "And this is the living room and eating room and kitchen." Olivia pointed at the two main rooms in the house plus the kitchen. "You can talk to Mommy. I'm going to take a nap until my friends come."_

_Sydney__ sat down on the couch as Bridgette went to get some tea. The room looked relatively the same as the last time she had been there, except there were more pictures of Olivia and Bridgette and her husband. There was one picture, resting on the bookshelf, of Bridgette's family, Michael, and his mother. __Sydney__ smiled wistfully. They looked like a great happy family. The only family she had was her dad, whom she hardly ever talked to, much less saw. Bridgette came back with the tea and the two of them sat on the couch and talked for a while, Sydney said as little as possible about Michael, but they did learn about each other's families. _

_"My mom died in a car accident when I was little so I only have my dad. When I was growing up, I hardly knew him, so we barely talk. Maybe occasionally, he'll call up and say, 'happy birthday' or something. Then he'll have to go back to work again, before I can invite him for dinner or lunch or coffee. Your family seems great, like you can all depend on each other." __Sydney__ pointed at the picture resting on the bookshelf._

_"Yeah, I guess so. After me and Mike lost our dad when we were little, our family just became closer I guess. Then I got married to Josh and he became just like family to them. We hardly even get to meet Mike's girlfriends. He hardly ever brings anyone to dinner. I've probably only met like one or two of his girlfriends. They were nice but I knew it wasn't going to last between them. They just weren't his type. And while he liked them, you could tell he didn't love them. When he's serious about someone, you can just tell. I'm still waiting for him to fall in love and Mother is getting impatient with him." Bridgette laughed. "I think that you two would make a good couple. You honestly never considered dating each other?"_

_"Well it wasn't that simple…" Sydney didn't want to talk about this at first, but Bridgette was so easy to talk to. She gave off a trusting vibe, like __Sydney__ could spill everything and Bridgette would understand. She took a deep breath and prepared to tell her story when the phone rang._

_"Hang on a sec, __Sydney__. Hello?" Bridgette picked up the phone. "Mike! How's __France__ and how's mom:Pause: Good. Great. So when are you coming back home:Pause: Fine. Don't tell me," Bridgette said in a fake haughty tone. "So guess who's here?" Bridgette noticed __Sydney__ shaking her head and mouthing not to tell him that she was here. "Actually, never mind. I was going to tell you to talk to Olivia but I remembered she's taking a nap. And her friends are coming over later. So I'll talk to you later. Ok, bye. Tell mom I said hi." Bridgette hung up the phone. "So, you want to explain what this is all about?"_

_"Ok…" Sydney started talking and soon told the entire story without leaving out a single detail about Danny's death, Michael, and everything that had happened between them. When she was done, she was crying._

_"Oh, __Sydney__ It's ok." Bridgette hugged __Sydney__ and handed her some tissues._

Sydney shook her head. After that, Bridgette told her from time to time how Michael was doing. At first, she insisted that Sydney tell him how she really felt, but Sydney made her promise not to tell anyone. Bridgette had kept it, not even telling Josh about it. After a while, they stopped talking about it, because Sydney said that she had moved on. Sydney knew that Bridgette knew better, but just didn't want to bring it up because she trusted Sydney. She glanced at the clock and realized that if she didn't leave NOW, she'd be late for dinner. She gabbed the bag with Bridgette's gift and her keys and ran out the door.

When she arrived at Michael's house, Bridgette's family would be moving out the next day, Sydney noticed that neither Francie nor Will's car was there. That meant she wasn't late. She rang the doorbell and Bridgette ushered her in. Sydney laughed as she noticed that boxes filled the hall. "I got you a gift for your new house."

"Sydney, you seriously need to start listening to me. I said no gifts." Bridgette didn't take the bag, so Sydney put it on top of one of the boxes.

"I'm sure. They're picture frames. I figured you could never get enough of those. When are Francie and Will coming?"

"Oh yeah they called to say that they're running late, because Francie's car broke down, so she and Will took it to the shop and Will is driving here when they drop off Francie's broken car."

Sydney laughed. "Did Will tell you that? Because it sounds like something he would say in a hurry."

"Yes, he did."

Josh and Olivia walked in and Sydney greeted them both. The four of them sat down in the living room and waited for Francie and Will.

-

Michael stared out of the taxi window. He was back in LA after two years of living in France. He almost couldn't remember why he decided to stay so long, but then he remembered. Sydney. It was because of her. He had just wanted to get away for a while, but when Bridgette had called and said that Sydney had come looking for him, he decided to stay longer. He knew what he was doing. Running. He just ran from his problem with Sydney. Actually there was no problem. She didn't like him the way he liked her. Period. And it hurt him. But now he was over it. He hoped so at least. It wasn't like he was going to run into Sydney anytime soon. He was just going to go home and spend some time with Bridgette and Josh and Olivia. Bridgette had told him that their house was finished, so they'd be moving out soon. He recalled her saying she would be moving maybe tomorrow? That was why he decided to surprise them today. He smiled. Bridgette would be happy and Olivia would be too. He couldn't wait to see her. Olivia was about 9 now and no doubt, she'd be an adorable little girl. He paid the taxi driver as he got out and pulled his suitcase out of the trunk. He hadn't brought much luggage since he used to live in France and many of his things were still there. Michael walked up the steps and rang the doorbell.

-

The doorbell rang and Sydney said, "Finally! They're here. Will probably tried to negotiate a good deal with the auto place on fixing Francie's car." Sydney and Bridgette laughed as they went to open the door. Bridgette turned the knob and pulled the door open, ready to laugh at Francie and Will for being so late, while Sydney stood beside her holding back a giggle. When they saw who was at the door however, both their smiles were wiped away.

"Hey Bri —" Michael started until he noticed Sydney. "Syd?"

"Michael?"


	5. Angel

**Chapter Five: Angel**

_Spend all your time waiting  
For that second chance  
For a break that would make it okay  
There's always some reason  
To feel not good enough  
And it's hard at the end of the day  
I need some distraction  
Oh beautiful release  
Memory seep from my veins  
Let me be empty  
And weightless and maybe  
I'll find some peace tonight_

Without even thinking, Sydney threw her arms around Michael's neck and gave him a long hug. She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent, a mix of aftershave and deodorant. She was almost afraid that he'd leave as soon as he saw her. Luckily, Michael wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the hug. "I'm sorry," Sydney whispered as she pulled back, reluctantly, from his embrace. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she couldn't even stop it. She didn't even know why. Michael didn't seem mad at her, not the way he was wiping her tears and pulling her to him again.

"Syd… it's ok. I don't care. It's ok. Shhh… don't cry." He didn't understand why she was crying so hard. The only time she had done this was when it involved Danny. He hadn't realized how much he had missed her until now, as he held her in his arms. "I missed you so much, Sydney. You have no idea."

Sydney pulled back and wiped her tears so she could look at him better. He hadn't changed much. In fact, he looked even more gorgeous than the last time she had seen him. His deep green eyes were full of concern as he looked back at her. He was wearing a white t-shirt and Sydney could see the outline of his well-defined chest through it. She blushed as she caught herself thinking some not-so-nice thoughts about Michael… and how good he'd definitely look without a shirt on. She took a step back, averted her eyes and said, "I'm glad you came back."

Michael looked at Sydney carefully. She was thinking about something again. Even though she had been looking at him, she had a far away look in her eyes. "I'm glad I came back too," he told her. "How exactly did you become friends with Bridgette?" Not that he was complaining. If Sydney hadn't been here, he probably wouldn't have had the guts to call her, no matter how much he had missed her.

As soon as he mentioned Bridgette's name, Sydney came crashing down to earth. She glanced behind her. Bridgette seemed to have disappeared the moment Sydney threw her arms around Michael. "We just became friends… let's go back before they start to wonder where we've disappeared to." She took his hand and followed him into the dining room. Bridgette and Josh were chatting and they looked up as Sydney and Michael entered the room.

Bridgette's face broke into a wide grin as she took in the fact that they were holding hands. "I knew you weren't over him, Syd! You can't fool me."

Josh hid a secret smile. "I always thought you liked him. Bridgette wouldn't tell me anything. I figured she must have promised you that she wouldn't say anything; otherwise, she would've been talking nonstop."

Michael smiled as he stepped behind Sydney and wrapped his arms around her waist. Sydney leaned back into him and eyed Bridgette. "Hmm, well I guess you're right. It doesn't really matter now, since I'm not letting your brother go now that I have him."

Michael whispered in Sydney's ear, "Hey, we never went out to dinner. Let's go tomorrow night, ok? Wear something semi-formal. I'm going to surprise you."

"Mmmm, sounds great, Michael. Pick me up at 7?" The doorbell rang and Bridgette rushed to answer it. A few seconds later she ushered Francie and Will inside and they noticed Michael standing with his arms protectively around Sydney.

Francie smiled, "Lover boy moved back from France I see."

Will added under his breath loud enough for everyone to hear, "And boy does he move fast." The earned looks from Sydney and Michael, and an elbowing from Francie while Bridgette and Josh fought to keep their laughter in check.

Sydney pressed her lips together. "Let's eat dinner now, before I get the urge to throw some food at all of you. Where's Olivia?"

"She's watching TV in her room. I'll get her." Bridgette went to get her daughter as Josh started to set the table.

-

Sydney glanced in the mirror. It was almost time to go to dinner with Michael. She was wearing a plain black dress with spaghetti straps. The dress clung to her body and hugged her curves, showing off her slim and sexy figure. She smiled as she clasped a silver choker around her neck and applied some makeup. The doorbell rang and she went to answer it. Standing at the door was Michael, who looked so absolutely stunning in a suit that Sydney's breath caught in her throat. He smiled and handed her a single red rose. "Hey. You look beautiful."

"Hi, thanks. You don't look so bad yourself." Even though Sydney had been complimented before, a blush rose to her cheeks. Michael was so sweet. Moreover, the way he complimented her made her feel beautiful.

"Ready to go? Reservations are at 7:30." He held out his hand. The dress that Sydney was wearing made him want to slide the spaghetti straps down her shoulder and just plant kisses along her smooth, tan skin.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Where are we going?" Sydney grabbed her coat, dropped the rose into a vase and took his hand as he led her to his car.

"It's a surprise. You're going to love it, trust me." Being the gentleman that he was, he opened Sydney's door for her as she climbed in. He walked around the car and got in the driver's seat as they took off to the restaurant.

-

Sydney opened the door to her house. "You want to come in?" She gazed questionably at Michael and smiled one of her seductive smiles. Dinner had been fantastic. Michael had taken her to a fancy Italian restaurant high above Los Angeles. He had reserved a table right next the window, overlooking much of Los Angeles. The dimly lit room had been so romantic. Sydney had no idea how he could've pulled it off in just one day, but all Michael did was wink at her and comment about his "connections". They had talked all through dinner, about things they liked and disliked. Michael had told her many things about France and promised to take her there sometime.

"Yeah, sure." He raised his eyebrows at her smile. What could Sydney possibly be suggesting?

Sydney laughed and pulled him inside. She hung her coat up and motioned for him to take off his jacket. Michael not only did that but he took off his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt. "What? It's warm inside." He replied to Sydney questioning look. "Are you going to give me a tour or not?"

Sydney laughed. "Ok, but it's small." She led him through the house and they ended up in the living room. "I'm going to start a fire; can you get me some wood? It's outside behind the back door. Thanks, Michael."

As soon as he left, Sydney dimmed the lights and pushed the sofa back so they could sit in front of the fire. Hmm, this was nice. She could imagine herself sitting in Michael's arms in front of the fire. Sydney smiled. Michael returned shortly and was surprised to see the change in the room but didn't say anything. He threw the wood into to the fireplace and the two of them started a fire. Sydney sat down right in front the fireplace and pulled Michael down with her. "This is nice," she said as she snuggled herself in Michael's arms.

He kissed the top of her head and agreed. The two of them sat together for a while, enjoying each other's presence. Sydney turned to look at Michael. He was so incredibly gorgeous, especially in the dim light. The fire outlined his features and a smile played on his lips. Sydney turned back to the fire. After a few moments of silence, Sydney decided that her dress was making her uncomfortable. "Wait right here," she told Michael as she stood up. "I'm going to change into something more comfortable."

Michael took the advantage of her absence to look carefully at the various pictures placed in the living room. A few of them were of Sydney and her father, which he was surprised at considering Sydney had told him that her dad wasn't exactly the most amiable person. He didn't smile in the pictures but Sydney's radiant grin made up for it. There were a few pictures of Francie as well as Will and some of the three of them goofing around. Michael smiled. He saw a picture of Bridgette's family and one picture of Bridgette, Olivia, Josh, Francie, Will, and Sydney on the beach. A sad smiled crossed his face as he realized how much he had missed during his 2 years in France. Sydney had told him that Francie and Will had met Bridgette's family after she talked non-stop about all of them to each other. One picture surprised him. It was a picture of himself and he had no idea how Sydney had gotten it. Just then, Sydney walked back into the living room wearing a tank top and pajama bottoms and he motioned at the picture. "How'd you get this?"

"Bridgette gave it to me. I honestly have no idea why, perhaps it was because I really missed you and wished you hadn't gone to France. She said it was one of your real good pictures. Although I hardly doubt you could look bad in a picture." Sydney grinned at him and turned on the radio. Sarah Mclachlan's Angel drifted from the speakers placed on either side of the room. "Let's dance." She rested herself in his arms and they swayed slowing, turning to the beat.

_In the arms of an angel  
Fly away from here  
From this dark cold hotel room  
And the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage  
Of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort there_

Sydney smiled at the irony of the song. "Michael… you're my angel. Thank you for always being there for me."

_It's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh  
This__ glorious sadness that brings me to my knees_

"Always." He held her a little closer. "I'd do anything for you, Sydney."

Sydney caught just a glimpse of his smile before he brought his face down to kiss her. The kiss started off slowly, and tantalizingly sweet. After two years of wondering for both of them, it was no surprise that Sydney pulled him even closer and deepened the kiss as she snaked one arm around his neck and the other one on the back of his head, tangling her fingers in his hair. Michael did the same with one hand, running his fingers through her brown hair, and put one hand on her waist. The kiss deepened even further as their tongues met. They finally pulled away, breathless and hot. Sydney gasped for air, his lips were warm and soft and it wasn't long before he pulled her back for another kiss.

_In the arms of an angel  
Fly away from here  
From this dark cold hotel room  
And the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage  
Of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort there  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort here_


	6. Torn

**Chapter Six: Torn**

Sydney opened her eyes slowly and realized that she was sleeping in Michael's lap. He was already awake, sitting up, a smile playing at his lips as he looked at her. Sydney shifted so she was sitting up as well and curled back into his arms. She glanced around the room and was a little confused. How had they ended up in her bedroom? The last thing she remembered was sitting in his arms in the living room in front of the fire. Sitting in front of the fire… after they had kissed. Kissed a lot. A shiver went down Sydney's spine as she remembered the intensity of those kisses. Michael's kisses were gentle and demanding at the same time and just thinking of them made Sydney look up at him and pull him down for another one. After they had broken away, he gave her a questioning look, "What was that for?"

"I couldn't resist. I was thinking of yesterday… how did we end up here anyways?"

"After the fire dimmed, you fell asleep and you looked really tired, so I carried you here. I fell asleep after a few moments also." He smiled as he remembered Sydney's mumbling when he carried her to her bedroom. Something along the lines of, "France is too far away."

"Hmmm. You're such a gentleman. Want some breakfast? Hey, what are you smiling about?" Sydney noticed the smile and the laughter in his eyes. Obviously, something was very amusing.

"Oh, nothing. Breakfast would be great. I'll cook. You can go take a shower or something."

"Well, how about we both take a shower… not at the same time!" Sydney exclaimed to Michael's raised eyebrows and smirk. "And then we can both cook." Sydney nearly started laughing at the thought of showering together. They hadn't even been together for a week yet.

"Hah. Sure. I'll go first. I don't have any clean clothes though. Well I guess I can go home and change later." Michael stood up and headed toward the kitchen, while Sydney grabbed some clothes from her closet and headed from the shower.

After 15 minutes, Sydney walked into the kitchen to find that Michael had gathered eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and just about every other breakfast food in her refrigerator. Now he rummaged through the shelves while mumbling to himself, "Pans… where does she keep her pans?"

Sydney leaned against the doorway, smiling at the sight of Michael in her kitchen. It seemed so natural. She knew that she wanted to wake up this way every morning. "The pans are under the sink." She laughed as he turned around and smiled at her.

"Uh. Ok. In fact I was just going to look there." He proceeded to pull three different size pans from under the sink. He took in the sight of Sydney, dressed in baggy sweat pants and a white tank top that revealed her stomach and belly button. Her hair was still wet from the shower and she looked fantastic.

Sydney grinned. "Why did you take out just about everything in my refrigerator? And why do you need 3 pans?"

"Uh, well… I didn't know what you would like to eat. And… I can cook three dishes at once?" Michael gave her a sheepish look that Sydney found absolutely adorable. She couldn't get over how gorgeous he was and how after 2 years of regret, Michael was finally her's.

Sydney laughed again. "You can go take a shower now. I'll take over around here." Michael reluctantly complied, after giving Sydney a quick kiss that resulted in her pulling him back for a longer one. "Ok now you can go." Grinning, he walked toward the bathroom, feeling like a whipped teenager that did everything for his girlfriend. His beautiful, wonderful girlfriend. Shaking his head, Michael wondered how he had survived the 2 years in France without her.

Sydney hummed a tune while she put half the things Michael had taken out of the fridge back in. She gathered the eggs and decided to scramble them. She was cooking the bacon when she heard the water go off in the bathroom. She smiled, allowing herself to wonder what Michael looked like just coming out of the shower. She shook her head. No need for dirty thoughts right now. About two minutes later, the phone rang. Sydney couldn't just leave the bacon. "Michael, can you get the phone for me please? I'm tied up at the moment."

She heard the bathroom door open and heard him pick up the phone with a breathless voice, "Hello?"

"Uh… may I please speak with Sydney?" On the other side of the phone, a confused Jack Bristow wondered who was there with his daughter. Michael frowned slightly. The guy sounded a little edgy. He walked to the kitchen and handed the phone to Sydney.

"Hello?" Sydney turned off the bacon and motioned for Michael to put it on the plates. "Oh, hey Dad. What's up?"

"Sydney. Everything's fine. Who is the man at your house?" Jack cut right to the chase. He was a father after all.

"Oh… ummm… actually—" Sydney managed to say before she gave a little gasp. Michael had wrapped his arms around his waist from behind and had begun to kiss her neck, slightly nipping the skin near her earlobe.

"Sydney?" Jack frowned into the phone. Why was Sydney acting so strange?

"Oh yea, sorry dad. What were you saying?" Sydney hoped he wouldn't ask who was at her house again. She shifted the phone to the other ear as Michael continued to lavish kisses on the back of her neck.

Jack sensed his daughter's discomfort and decided to talk to her about the real reason why he was calling her, "Oh yes, I've decided that I will probably go to opening of Francie's restaurant. When did you say it was?"

Sydney almost sighed in relief of being off the hook… for now. "It's two weeks from this coming Monday. Around noon."

"Ok then. I'll see you there. Bye, Sydney."

"Bye, dad." As soon as she disconnected the phone, she whirled around to yell at Michael. "Do you know how hard it was trying to talk to my dad in a normal tone of voice while you…" her sentence trailed off as she realized that Michael's shirt was unbuttoned and it revealed his smooth chest and taunt abs. Her breath caught in her throat.

Michael gave her a lopsided grin. "Are you mad? I couldn't resist."

Sydney managed to slow down her breathing and say, "Sure. Is that why you didn't button your shirt also?"

Michael laughed, "No, that was because you made me get the phone. I'll button it now, if you want."

He moved his hands to button up his shirt but Sydney stopped him. "It's ok." She let her hands rest on his bare chest for a few seconds before letting them slide over his chest and abs. She felt his muscles jump at her touch and smiled at the effect she had on him. She pulled his head down to meet hers and brought her lips up for another kiss.

-

**A Few Months Later**

Michael sat at the table, looking at the black velvet box in his hands. He opened it slowly, imagining Sydney's delighted expression when he would open the box for her and she would see just how much he loved her. She would be so happy. She deserved it. Sighing, he grabbed his jacket and put the box in his pocket as he headed out the door.

As he climbed into his car and began to drive toward a very familiar place, Michael wondered if this was the right choice. He loved Sydney, but was it too soon? He didn't think so, but what would Sydney think? He knew that before anything could happen, he would have to tell her the entire story. He vowed to do it soon as he climbed out of the car and made his way up the little hill where there lay a gravestone with the words:

**William C. Vaughn  
1945 – 1982  
Beloved Husband, Loving Father, Patriot**

Michael crouched down and ran his fingers over the etched words. "Hey Dad," he began softly. "We all still miss you so much. After all this time, not a day goes by that we don't miss you. I guess you know that already, huh? I've only told you all of the times I've been here." He chuckled. "I wish you could be here. You could meet Sydney. You'd love her, Dad. She's beautiful and she's one of the most fantastic people I've ever met. She makes me happy. Sydney's an English teacher and she has this way with kids. Olivia loves her too. You know how we met? She lost her fiancé, Danny Hetch, in a car accident. I was in the accident too. He gave me a message to tell her. So I went to his funeral and told her. We became friends, I guess. One day, a year after Danny's death, she came over for dinner. That's when I started to fall for her. Things got complicated and basically she told me that we were friends but nothing more. I went to France for two years. Two years! During that time, Sydney had somehow become friends with Bridgette. How ironic. When I got back to LA, she was at my house. Bridgette, Olivia, and Josh had been staying there. I had missed her so much and I guess she had missed me too. We started dating… Danny brought us together… I know what you're thinking, Dad. Yeah, it's the same Danny. You remember him? I didn't. Not until later. I don't know if he remembered me. Maybe he did. Sydney doesn't know though. I just… can't bring myself to tell her. I'm afraid I'll hurt her. Just… watch over her. Okay? She deserves to be happy. If you see Danny up there, thank him for me, will you? I love you, Dad. Bye."

Somehow, in his little speech, he had begun to cry. Michael shook his head and wiped his tears away. There was one more thing he had to do.

-

Sydney looked at the clock. There were a few more hours to kill before she was going to have dinner with Michael. Maybe she could go visit Danny. Tell him what was going on. She smiled. Danny and Michael would've gotten along great. She wondered what would have happened if they had met before the accident. Would they be friends? Would she love them both? She frowned. That would've been a problem. Sydney decided that Danny had brought her and Michael together in the first place. Besides, what had happened couldn't be changed. There was no room for regrets. She wondered what the future would be like. A future with Michael? She entertained the thought of marrying him and having kids and starting a family with him. It would be great. Sydney almost laughed as she remembered what Francie had interpreted tonight's dinner as. Francie had said, confidently, "He's going to propose." Sydney had no idea why Francie would say that, but as she thought about it, she wouldn't mind a marriage proposal. She decided to visit Danny.

As she walked slowly toward the area where Danny's grave was, she noticed that someone was there. Sydney frowned, a little puzzled. Who would visit Danny's grave? As she got closer, she realized it was… Michael. Sydney opened her mouth to call him, but shut up it immediately. She crept forward, curious as to what, exactly, he was doing here. She got close enough to hear his words and listened carefully.

…"Syd's doing great. She still loves you, you know. I wouldn't doubt it. I know she has moved on, and I love her so much. I'm taking care of her, like you asked. I think that we're gonna be together forever. Yeah, man, I sound like a sap." Sydney heard him laugh and pondered his words. Take care of her? She continued listening. "Anyways, she doesn't know. I can't tell her. I didn't even remember myself until later on. Did you remember me at the accident? It seemed almost… as if you did. I know I should tell Syd. I just don't want to hurt her."

Sydney's mouth was hanging open now. She got a little angry. Michael had been hiding something all this time. He knew Danny. How did he know Danny? Before she could help it, she blurted out, "Why don't you let me decide?"

Michael spun around, the shock evident on his face. "Sydney… I…"

"Why are you hiding things from me? How do you know Danny? C'mon, tell me, I can take it."

"No, Sydney, it's not what you think."

"How do you know what I think? You've been lying to me for such a long time. You know what? I don't want to hear it. I'm getting outta here." With that, Sydney turned around and tore off.

"Sydney! Wait!" Michael ran after her.


	7. Speaking the Truth

**Chapter Seven: Speaking the Truth**

Sydney took off at full speed, knowing that this was her only chance of getting to her car before Michael. She knew that he ran faster and her head start was her only advantage. Her car came into view and she exhaled slowly. Just as she was about to get in, she felt someone pull her wrist. Michael. She sighed. He put his other hand on the door to prevent her from opening it. She took a deep breath and turned around slowly. "What? What do you want? I don't want to hear it, Mike. You lied to me. What other secrets are you hiding? Huh? You married? Got a wife and kids in France? Have you been playing me this whole time? I heard what you said. I'm not a charity case. I don't need you to "take care" of me. I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself. What do you think I did those two years you were in France? Let go of me. I'm leaving. We're over."

Michael took his hand off her wrist and raked it slowly through his tousled hair, keeping his gaze on her. He didn't remove his hand from the door. "Slow your rant, Syd… just listen. Let me tell you how I know Danny. Then you can go off, make a voodoo doll of me, and poke pins in it, if you want. If you still feel the same way after you've heard my story."

Sydney wasn't stubborn for nothing. "No." She met his gaze. "I don't want to hear it. You should've told me whatever this is all about when we started dating. How am I supposed to trust you now? Move your hand."

"Dammit! Sydney, just listen to me. I'm not letting you go. You have to hear this. I don't care what you do after you've heard this. I don't care if you never talk to me again; I don't care if you go to the police and tell them to make me stay away from you. I want you to hear the story," He burst out, surprising the both of them.

Sydney gave him a steely look. She knew he was serious. He rarely got mad. But she didn't want to hear it, not because he had lied, not because she didn't trust him. She didn't want to hear it because, on the inside, her heart was breaking. She seemed angry and uncaring, but she felt as if she was going to burst into tears if he started talking. "Fine. Tell the story. I'll listen. That doesn't mean I'll change my mind." She leaned against the car door and crossed her arms.

Michael took a deep breath and prepared to tell the story he had kept a secret for so long. "When I was little, before my dad died, our family lived here, in LA. Danny's family lived next door. We were neighbors." He glanced at Sydney. She opened her mouth to say something, but he pressed a finger to her lips. "Just… listen okay, Syd? We were neighbors but we became friends only after my dad passed away, when I was seven. Danny's entire family came over with a cake and condolences. I noticed Danny's sister, Cassandra was my age, and Danny himself was only 2 years younger. The three of us starting going to school together and hanging out after school. Since Bridgette was about 4 years younger, she had her own group of friends. Occasionally she hung out with us."

Sydney opened her mouth again, "Danny's sister? But didn't she—"

Michael shushed her and continued. "When Cass and I were both 12, we went from the elementary school to the middle school, which was farther so everyday we took the bus together. Danny walked to the school by himself and the three of us just hung out after school. That year was also the year I became the biggest jerk." Michael sighed and swallowed, preparing to get into the hardest part of the story. "When Cass and I started middle school, we still hung out and went to school together and went home together. But after a while, I became friends with some of the popular jocks and I started hanging out with Cassandra less and less. One of them, Bryan, kept calling her my 'girlfriend' and it got me really irritated, so I began to distance myself from her. Around the end of the school year, my mom found out that I had been ignoring Cassandra and reprimanded me. She told me the next day to take the bus with Cassandra and not go anywhere with my other friends. I had to be home on time. I was pretty mad, so the next day, when she started talking to me and asking if I was taking the bus with her, I sort of blew up. I told her that I had somewhere more important to go and that she should leave me alone. We were all at the bus stop and I started walking away." Tears formed in his eyes as he remembered his horrible words to Cassandra.

Sydney's eyes widened. Michael looked visibly shaken. Maybe she was being too hard on him. "Mike, if you… can't tell the story… you don't—"

He shook his head. "You deserve to know Sydney. I want to tell you. It's just… so hard…" He trailed off as the memories of that horrible day rose to the surface. He had tried to keep them hidden for too long. The visions still stung, but not as much as before…

-

_"Hey, that girl you keep hanging around with? What is she, like your girlfriend or something? No? Then why do you keep hanging 'round her? I bet you like her… Mike and Cassandra, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g, first comes loveeeeeee—"_

_"Shut up, __Bryan__. My mom is friends with her mom. I don't like her. She's NOT my girlfriend."_

_"Prove it."_

_"Hi, Michael.__ Why don't we ever hang out any more? You should come over more. You're making my sister sad. I think she likes you."_

_"Michael Vaughn! Have I taught you nothing? You think that you can just go off and make new friends and ignore Cassandra? All these afternoons I think you are with her and Danny when you have been off gallivanting, doing who on earth knows what with those friends of yours. I don't mind you having friends, Michael, but you shouldn't just stop talking to Cassie altogether!"_

_"But…"_

_"No buts. Tomorrow you are coming straight home and you are going to take the bus with Cassandra, because God help me, I will be at the bus stop waiting for you. You can go over to their house if you want. Tell your friends you will be busy."_

_"Hey Mike! You gonna take the bus with me today? I'm so glad. We haven't had a chance to talk in a while." Cassandra smiled brightly. Michael studied her, she was pretty that was for sure. But he was getting real annoyed with her lately._

_"Listen, I'm not taking the bus today. Me and the guys have had a hockey match planned for weeks. I don't care what my mom says, I've got to go. It's much more important okay? Stop bothering me, Cass. Don't you get it? Sometimes people grow up and grow apart." He caught a glace at Cassandra's shocked expression before he turned to Brian and said, "Let's go, man." The two of them started to walk off._

_"Michael! You're supposed to take the bus! What am I going to tell your mom? MIKE!" She was so busy screaming after him that she didn't notice the bus driver lose control of the vehicle and swerve onto the sidewalk. _

_Michael heard a few screams and tires screeching; he turned around curiously. When he saw Cassandra's body, all thoughts flew from his brain. "Cass!" He ran to her side and saw her crumpled there, and he knew she was gone. She had been gone upon impact. All because of him. He slumped down against the bench and started crying. "I'm sorry… Cass… come back. I didn't mean to yell. Cassie, come back. Cassie… you're my friend. I didn't mean to yell. I'm sorry. Sorry. I love you like you're my own sister. I'm so sorry. Please. Come back." He knew it was hopeless and he knew it was his fault. He couldn't stop crying._

_The next few hours went by with a blur. He remembered someone calling Cassandra's house, his house. His mom picked him up and took him home. Bridgette had sat on the sofa, unmoving. He didn't remember what else had happened. He sat on the porch, staring at nothing and looking at the sky. Danny walked over. His eyes, red and puffy from crying, fixated on Michael and then shifted to the night sky. _

_"Michael… where's Cassie? Why doesn't she come home? I don't want her to die. I want her back…"_

_"I know… I do too. Me too, Danny. Me too."_

-

Michael wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at Sydney. She was crying as well. "It was all my fault, Syd. I killed her, practically. If it hadn't been for me, she would be alive. I was so stupid. So stupid. After that, Danny's family moved away. They didn't blame me, after all they couldn't. They didn't know what I had done. At first my mom kept in touch with them, but we moved to France later on. I guess we lost touch. After all these years, Syd. I tried to forget everything. I made my peace with it. Then Danny comes along. Car accident." He gave a short laugh. "The irony. I didn't even remember until I was looking through my things about 3 months ago. Everything came back to me. Every detail, every word. I decided to go to Danny's grave for forgiveness. And to talk to him. I wanted him to understand, Syd."

Sydney shook her head and shivered. It was getting pretty cold and Michael's gruesome story hadn't helped. She was speechless. Michael noticed she was cold and handed her his jacket. She took it without a word.

"Sydney I know it's a lot. Just think about it, okay? A few days. I'll be by on Friday." He walked away, leaving Sydney leaning against her car, still unable to speak.

She finally got in her car and drove home. As she walked in to her living room, she noticed she was still wearing Michael's jacket. She sighed and rubbed her temples. It had been a long, harrowing day. She still didn't know what to think about the whole bus accident. It wasn't Michael's fault though. Damn. Why hadn't she said something? She took off his jacket and threw on the sofa. She heard something clunk against the ground but ignored it and went to get a pint of ice cream. When she walked into the living room, she noticed a small black box on the floor next to the sofa. It must have fallen out of Michael's jacket… She frowned and set her ice cream on the coffee table. She picked up the box and opened it. Sydney gasped. A diamond ring was inside…

_Oh, Michael…_


	8. Resolved

**Chapter Eight: Resolved**

She took the ring out and examined it slowly. It was a beautiful ring, and she couldn't have picked a better one herself. She looked at the box again. On the bottom, a small sticker read, Jules' Jewelers: Engagement and wedding rings especially made for the one you love. Sydney felt numb to her toes. Was this for her? She gave a short laugh. Of course it was. She turned the ring around in her palm and slid it over her ring finger. It fit perfectly. How did he know? She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to force away the words she had threw to him just an hour ago. They wouldn't go away; everything she said kept replaying repeatedly in her head. "_What other secrets are you hiding? Huh? You married? Got a wife and kids in __France__? Have you been playing me this whole time? ... Let go of me. I'm leaving. We're over." _Hot tears threatened to spill beneath her closed eyelids. She had been yelling at him while all along he had been planning to propose. Granted, he probably should have told her about the Danny connection before, but he probably would have told her the entire thing before he was actually going to propose… right? Why hadn't she said anything after Michael's story? He probably thought she was still mad. He probably thought she was serious about them being over. Sydney's eyes opened wide. What if he really thought that? She slid the ring off her finger and stuck it back in the box. She grabbed her purse, jacket, keys, and ran out the door.

-

Michael stood in his kitchen, frowning. What had happened to the engagement ring he was going to give Sydney? He was positive that he had left it on the table. Except… it wasn't there. Did it really matter that much? Sydney would never marry him now. She was probably still mad about him not telling her the story of his connection to Danny earlier. Well, maybe not mad as much as upset. What was it she had said? He tried to think. She hadn't really said anything to him after the story. He had hightailed it out of there before she could snap out of her shell-shocked mood. Maybe that hadn't been the smartest decision either. He winced, remembering the words she had said prior to his story. _"I don't want to hear it, Mike. You lied to me… I'm not a charity case. I don't need you to "take care" of me… Let go of me. I'm leaving. We're over." _So where did they stand? Were they really over? Michael shook his head. He wouldn't be able to take that. He had to find the ring and convince Sydney he loved her. She couldn't be entirely mad at him, after all, she had taken his jacket when he offered it. His jacket… Michael cursed softly under his breath. That's where the ring was. In the pocket. He hoped Sydney didn't find it. Sighing, he rubbed his temples and tried to think about what he should do. Call her? No. then she'd notice something was up. He decided the best thing to do was just to wait. If she hadn't found it yet, she probably wouldn't unless she purposely rummaged through his jacket. If she had found the ring, waiting a few days to contact her wouldn't make much of a difference. In fact, she might even come to him.

-

Out of habit, Sydney nearly drove to Michael's place before remembering that Bridgette's family no longer lived there. She shook her head and told herself to snap out of it. Turning the car around, she picked up her cell and called Bridgette to make sure they were home.

"Hey Syd!" Bridgette's cheerful voice picked up in the second ring.

"Hey. How'd you know it was me?"

"I'm psychic… hah. We got caller ID."

"Oh. That's neat." Sydney didn't feel as cheerful as Bridgette.

"Everything okay? You sound a little bummed. How's Michael? When's the wedding going to be?" Bridgette laughed.

Sydney was taken aback. "W-Wedding? How'd you know?"

"Wait, I'm right? There's really going to be a wedding? When were you two engaged? I was kidding but Syd—"

"No, no, no. There's no wedding. We're not engaged. At least, not yet. But I'm not sure if it'll ever happen now…" Sydney sighed. This was just too complicated. Normally, she would've turned to Francie for advice, but she and Will were in Las Vegas. Another reason Sydney turned to Bridgette was because Michael was her brother.

"What? What do you mean, it might not happen? Of course it will, Syd. I've seen Mike. You make him happier that I've ever seen him. He loves you so much. And don't deny this, but he makes you very happy too. And you love him. Did you two get into a fight?" Bridgette frowned. Sydney and Michael were meant to be. No matter what happen. As sappy as it sounded, it was true.

By that time, Sydney was Bridgette's house. She turned off her engine and locked the doors as she started walking toward the front door. "It's kind of a long story. I guess you could say we got into a fight. It's complicated." She rang the doorbell.

"Well, I've got time. Wait, hang on, I have to get the door." Bridgette pulled the door open to find Sydney standing there, cell phone in hand, smiling a small smile. Bridgette burst into laughter even though she knew Sydney had a long story to tell. "You're funny, Syd. Come in."

Both of them hung up their phones as Sydney stepped into the house. "Yeah. I wish I could appreciate my own humor right now, though." She glanced around at the house. It hadn't changed much from the last time she had been there. "Where's Olivia and Josh?"

"Oh, they went out to see a movie. So… you want to tell me what all this is about?" She raised an eyebrow at Sydney, "Or do I have to pry it out of you like I did before. You know, that whole thing about letting Mike go… Syd?"

Sydney snapped her attention back to Bridgette, as she fingered the velvet box that contained her would-be-engagement ring in her pocket. "Oh. Sorry." She sighed, "It's complicated."

"So start talking! I've go time. You want some tea? Let's sit." Bridgette walked toward the kitchen, handed Sydney a cup of tea, and directed her to the sofa.

Sydney shrugged. Where to start? The beginning. "Okay…"

By the time Sydney reached the part about Cassandra's death, Bridgette was tearing up. "Oh, Cass, I remember her. She was so sweet and she used to come over all the time. Syd, I had no idea Daniel was your Danny. I'm so sorry. Oh, poor Mikey, I never knew what exactly had happened that day. He was kind of in withdrawal for a while, and we never talked about it after that."

Sydney smiled a little. "Mikey? I don't think he would be too happy about you calling him that."

"Oh yeah, when he was little, our older relatives always called him that. He eventually grew out of it. I'm the only one who still calls him that once in a while. Is that the whole thing?"

"What? Oh, no. There's more."

As Sydney explained about the jacket and her being in shock at the time, Bridgette laughed, "That's Mike. Always the gentleman."

"I found something in the pocket. It's… it's… a ring."

Bridgette gasped as Sydney pulled the small black box out of her pocket and opened it. "An engagement ring? Sydney, it's so beautiful! He was going to propose!"

Sydney sniffed and smiled, "Yeah, I guess he was. It fits, too." She took the ring out and slid it onto her ring finger for the second time that day. "The thing is, I don't know if things are still the same or not."

"Sydney, he was going to propose. He wants to marry you, and spend the rest of his life with you. One little fight is not going to change that. Your love is still there. Go talk to him, Syd. It's the only way to straighten things out and get this show on the road. I want to help plan the wedding." Bridgette wagged a finger at Sydney, "You better go now. You look so forlorn already, I don't know what would happen if you guys stayed apart any longer."

"Okay… but wait. I came here to ask you a question. I need your help with something."

-

By the time Sydney left Bridgette's house and headed over to Michael's, she was feeling much better. She just hoped that she could make things right between herself and Michael. If he didn't want to marry her anymore, then… Sydney shook her head. She refused to think like that. Pulling into his driveway, she took a deep breath and climbed out of her car, remembering to grab his jacket.

_Here goes nothing._

Michael pulled open the door about 2 seconds after Sydney rang the bell. His eyes widened at the sight of her. "Sydney! Um, hi. Come in."

Sydney stepped in his house and walked toward the living room. "We need to talk. Oh wait, here's your jacket back." She handed to him and watched, amusedly, as he dug into the pockets, undoubtedly for the ring. She nearly laughed. "Are you looking for this?" She raised her eyebrows and held up the box containing _her_ (well it would be, technically) engagement ring.

Michael shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Yeah… kinda… Sydney…" The look on his face told her that he desperately wanted to be anywhere but where he was at the moment.

"Look, we're going to talk about this too, but first, there are a few things I have to say." He nodded, motioning for her to continue. "First off, I'm really sorry I yelled at you. I didn't mean it. I was just upset that you didn't tell me the complete truth, but I realize how hard it must have been for you too. I love you so much, Michael and I didn't mean it when I said we were over. I didn't mean half the things I said. I would've said something after your story, but I was kind of in shock and well, you sort of ran off."

Michael sighed, "Oh, Syd, I know you didn't mean to say all those things. I wish I could've told you the truth earlier on. I was just scared that you wouldn't want to be with me because of what had happened. I had been a real jerk back then, and it makes me sick that I can't change it. I love you and I didn't want to lose you."

"It's all past, Mike. You can't change it. But you can learn from it and I know you have. Which leads me to the ring. Were you really planning on proposing to me?"

He smiled wistfully. "Yeah, I was. That's why I went to see my dad and Danny. I wanted to tie up some loose ends before starting something new."

"Well, if we decide to get married, you are going to take me to France right? To meet your mom? She's going to want to help. Especially since I have tickets here. She waved a piece of paper.

"Tickets? What?" He glanced at the paper. It stated that two tickets, under her name and his, to Normandy, France would be mailed soon. "What? How?"

"Bridgette helped me. We bought them online. Of course, I'm not too sure about the wedding."

"Oh. Syd, I understand if you think we need some time apart or if you think we're not ready. We can still go to France, though. My mom would love you."

"It's not that. I think we are ready. I think that this fight has only made us stronger, Mike. It's just…"

"Just what?" Michael's brow wrinkled in concern.

Sydney face took on a playful expression. "Oh, I don't know, maybe… just maybe, it has something to do with the fact that my boyfriend hasn't actually proposed to me. I mean… I found my ring, but I always wanted someone to propose to me, you know?"

Michael looked relieved. His eyes lit up. "Oh, that's why. Well, we're going to have to do something about that. Wait a second though. Close your eyes." Sydney closed her eyes and waited for Michael to finish whatever he was doing. She heard some music coming through the speakers.

_Spend all your time waiting  
For that second chance  
For a break that would make it okay  
There's always one reason  
To feel not good enough  
And it's hard at the end of the day  
I need some distraction  
Oh beautiful release  
Memory seeps from my veins  
Let me be empty  
And weightless and maybe  
I'll find some peace tonight_

Sydney smiled. It was their song. She remembered the day after Michael had first come back from France; they had danced to in Sydney's living room to this song, in front of the fire. They had also shared their first kiss.

_In the arms of an angel  
Fly away from here  
From this dark cold hotel room  
And the endlessness that you fear_

She heard Michael walking toward her. "Okay Syd, you can open your eyes now." Sydney gasped as she took in the scene. Michael had dimmed the lights and lit a few candles. It gave the entire room a romantic feel.

_You are pulled from the wreckage  
Of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort there_

He noticed her expression and grinned his trademark grin. He knelt down on one knee and held out the box. "Sydney Bristow, will you marry me?"

_It's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh  
This glorious sadness that brings me to my knees_

Sydney pulled him to his feet, "Of course I will." Michael slid the ring onto her finger and drew her toward him. He kissed her slowly, sweetly, until Sydney felt her knees practically turn to jello. They pulled apart and leaned toward each other, foreheads touching.

"C'mon. Let's dance." Michael pulled her into his arms and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

Sydney smiled and closed her eyes. "We're engaged," she whispered into his ear. Neither of them could be happier.

_In the arms of an angel  
Fly away from here  
From this dark cold hotel room  
And the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage  
Of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort there  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort here_


	9. Introductions to New Friends

**Chapter Nine: Introductions to New Friends**

Sydney opened the door to her apartment slowly, hoping that Francie and Will weren't back yet. Francie had moved out a while ago, closer to her restaurant, but the walls in her apartment were being painted, so she had stayed at Sydney's for the past week. Her and Will had gone to Las Vegas, but were supposed to be back, so Sydney only assumed Will be over as well. As she stepped in the living room, she noted that no lights were on. Sighing in relief, she slowly walked to her room. A few more steps and she would've made it but she heard a voice, "Well, well, well, Syd. Where have we been? If I am correct, it is now… 3 AM."

Sydney shook her head and turned on the lights as she walked back into the living room. Francie sat on the sofa, and Will was rubbing his eyes. Both looked like they had been sleeping. "Why are you guys on the couch? How was Las Vegas?" She noted the suitcases thrown down in the living room.

Will yawned. "We must've fallen asleep. It was good, but we were really tired after the drive back."

"Don't change the subject, missy. You are in big trouble." Francie added in mock sternness. "Where have you been? With Michael?"

Sydney laughed, "Yeah. We lost track of time, I guess. We were talking and dancing and eating and the next thing I knew, it was 3!" She waved her left hand in the air to emphasize her point.

"Of course. You forgot to add kissing and…" Francie gasped, "Sydney Bristow! Is that a diamond ring on your left ring finger?"

Sydney pretended to study her ring. "I supposed it is. It looks like a diamond, and Michael Vaughn is not a cheapskate. And, oh, whaddayaknow, it is on my left ring finger!"

"I'm glad you have a sense of humor. But, seriously, Syd, this is so great! Isn't it great, Will?" Francie nudged Will who looked like he wanted to sleep.

"What? Oh yeah. Fantastic. Can I go back to sleep now?"

Sydney burst into laughter. Francie just shook her head. "Fine, Will… But if you don't want to hear the details of your best friend's wedding, so be it."

Will mumbled a "thanks" and stumbled off to the guest room.

Francie shook her head again but quickly forgot about Will and turned to Sydney. "So? What happened? Give me all the details."

Sydney laughed again, "It's a long story."

"I'm already up, I can stay up for another couple of hours."

-

The next day, Sydney, Francie, and Will headed over to Michael's house for lunch. When he had called that morning, he said that his best friend would be there as well.

"Sydney! We're going to be late." Francie stood in the doorway with the keys, waiting impatiently for Sydney. Will sat on a stool in the kitchen, reading the newspaper. "Will, stop reading the paper, we're going to be late."

"Sydney's not ready yet," Will pointed out, without looking up from his paper.

"I'm coming!" Sydney yelled from down the hall. She grabbed her purse and ushered the two of them out the door. "Don't be such a worrywart. Mike won't care if we're late."

"Yeah… but his friend might." Francie noted. They climbed into Sydney's car as she took off in the direction of Michael's house.

"I'm sure Eric wouldn't care." Sydney said.

"You know him? Let me see your ring, I was kind of asleep last night." Will laughed.

"Oh, I just know his name." Sydney shrugged and handed her ring to Will.

He examined the ring and said, "Nice. So what's this about a trip to France, huh, Syd?"

"It's a long story. We're going to France to meet his family over there and plan some of the wedding."

"That's the long story? When's the wedding, by the way?" Questions continued to pour out of Will's mouth.

Francie shushed him. "The long story is longer and more complicated and if you hadn't been so stubborn as to go to sleep, you would've heard it."

Sydney laughed. "Sorry, Will. It is long and we're almost at Mike's house so I'll have to tell you later. We haven't decided on when the wedding is yet." She pulled into Michael's driveway, and all three of them got out of the car.

As soon as Francie rang the doorbell, Michael pulled the door opened and welcomed them into his house. He shook hands with Will and gave Francie a small hug, before he pulled Sydney into his embrace and kissed her softly.

"Mike, you are such a hormonal teenager. Can't even wait 5 seconds before kissing your girlfriend… tsk tsk." A voice came from down the hall. The owner of the voice walked up to all of them and smiled. "Hey, I'm Eric Weiss. Mike's buddy."

"Francie Calfo, and this is Will Tippin." The two of them shook hands with Eric as Sydney grinned.

"I'm Sydney. I've heard a lot about you." She smiled at Eric, he seemed like a fun loving guy, just right to be Michael's best friend.

Eric leaned over in a mock whisper, "Whatever it was, don't trust him. I can tell you many stories about Mike that he never wanted to reveal." He gave her a wink and pretended to smile innocently at his best friend.

Michael rolled his eyes, "Yeah, sure man. Those stories might be horrific, but you're involved in them too. Don't corrupt my girl."

Eric snorted. "Oh believe me, Mike, you can do that just fine on your own."

All five of them burst into laughter at Eric's comment. They were getting along just perfectly. "Funny man… Anyways, let's eat. We have French food."

"Yeah, Mike is quite the chef. You're going to be living the high life, Sydney. French food, Frenchman." Eric looked back and forth from the food and Michael as if to prove his point.

Francie smiled, "I can't wait to try it then."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Eric is exaggerating. It's not that great. Certainly not good enough to measure up to someone who has their own restaurant."

"I'm sure your food is great, sweetie." Sydney flashed him a brilliant smile and stood on her toes to kiss him.

"All right, all right, we have established that you both are hormonal teenagers. Can we please eat now?" Eric asked in mock seriousness. Everyone laughed.

-

"Sydney… do we HAVE to do this?" Michael was dreading this moment.

"Mike… we have to tell my dad we're getting married sometime." Sydney smiled and took his hand. "He won't kill you. He's really a good guy, even though we haven't really been that close for most of my life."

"I know, but can't you tell him alone? I'll meet him at the wedding! Yeah… that'd be a great idea." Michael wasn't really that terrified, considering they were about to ring Jack Bristow's doorbell, but kidding around with Sydney was fun.

"You are really hilarious, did you know that? Relax," she told him as she rang the doorbell. Jack pulled open the door a minute later. "Dad!"

"Hello, Sydney. How are you? And who is this? C'mon in." Jack smiled, but narrowed his eyes slightly in Michael's direction.

Michael gave a small smile as he followed Sydney into her father's house.

"Dad… This is Michael Vaughn. He's… my fiancé." She smiled broadly at her father.

"Michael Vaughn, eh? Mr. Vaughn, it's nice to meet you finally. However, if you ever break my daughter's heart again, I will come after you." Jack's face held a perfectly calm expression, making it seem like he was very serious. Which, he probably was, so Michael didn't dare take any chances.

"Thank you, Mr. Bristow. I assure you, I will protect Sydney with everything I am. I love her so much."

Sydney nearly burst into laughter at Michael's response to her father. She had never seen him act so stiff before. Both Jack and Michael turned to give her a curious glance, so she stifled a laugh and said, "Dad… don't worry. We're going to be very happy."

"Good, good." Jack relaxed a bit and allowed a smile. "Welcome to the family, Michael." He held out his hand.

Michael shook it, "Thank you."

"Sydney. When is this wedding?" Jack motioned for them to sit down in the living room as they talked.

"Oh, see, we're going to go to France to meet his family and plan some of this…"

-

Two-thirds of the way on the flight to France, Sydney glanced around at the people on the plane. Michael was sleeping, as was most everyone else. She couldn't sleep because she was too excited. Sydney sighed. The in-flight movie had just finished and she had nothing to do. Was everyone asleep? She glanced around the cabin once again and noticed that across the aisle from her, there was a young blonde who was reading a book. She tilted her head and saw that the book was one of her favorites. He looked like he was about halfway through with it.

"Oh! I really love that book."

The man across the aisle glanced up at her and smiled. She studied him carefully. He was wearing a business suit, and had short, curly blonde hair and intense blue eyes. He was quite the little hottie, if she wasn't already engaged to the most wonderful man on the planet. "You've read this?" His voice came out with a smooth English accent.

"Yeah. Sorry to interrupt, it's just… well, everyone else, including my fiancé, is asleep. I was a bit restless." She flashed him a smile.

He nodded. "No worries. I didn't want to sleep either." The two of them chatting a bit on the author's writing style and the plot so far, as Sydney promised not to give away the ending.

"So, are you going to France on a business trip?" Sydney noted his proper suit.

"Yeah, all business. How about you and your, fiancé, was it? Vacation? Or wedding?"

"Oh! No his family lives in France and we're going there to plan the wedding and have a good time all at once." She laughed.

He smiled a smile that gave his face a boyish, innocent look. "That's very exciting. His family is in Paris?"

"Oh, no, they are in Normandy. We're going to Paris for a bit of sightseeing first. I'm Sydney Bristow, by the way." She stuck her hand across to aisle.

"Aidan Warren. Nice to meet you." Aidan reached across and shook Sydney's hand. They chatted for a while longer, before Michael shifted in his seat and woke up.

"Syd?"

"Michael, you're finally up." She smiled and pulled him so he was sitting straight up.

"Yeah. What's happening?"

"This is Aidan Warren, honey, I was just talking to him since everyone else is asleep."

"Oh. Nice to meet you. Michael Vaughn." He reached over Sydney to shake Aidan's hand.

"Michael, Aidan works at a bank also!" She turned to Aidan and said, "Michael is the vice president of his bank."

"Interesting. Which bank do you work for?" Michael wondered if it was one of his bank's rivals.

"Credit Dauphine. Not that interesting. Being vice president certainly sounds more fun."

The three of them chatted for a while longer, until they heard—

_"Ladies and Gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts as we begin our descent into __Paris__ Charles de Gaulle International Airport. We hope you enjoyed the flight and enjoy your stay in __Paris__."_


End file.
